1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to traps for animals; more particularly, it relates to disposable traps for capturing mice and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of mechanisms have been devised for trapping small animals such as mice and other small rodents. These are generally one of two types: a first type which employs a spring activated element which, when tripped by the animal, for example when it disturbs the bait, snaps onto the animal, killing or maiming it and also securing the animal to the trap; and a second, more humane type, in which the live animal is retained in an enclosure by some type of closing door or gate after it enters the enclosure to obtain the bait.
The first type mentioned is generally unsatisfactory for many reasons. For example, the animal may steal the bait without tripping the spring activated element. The bait is exposed and pets or children may be injured by the trap in attempting to remove the bait. Such traps, which are normally intended for reuse, become very unsanitary and contaminated and also accumulate an odor which may repel other mice or rodents. Also, the caught animals must be manually removed from the trap and disposed of; a task many users find extremely unpleasant and dangerous, particularly if the animal has been seriously hurt rather than killed. Still another disadvantage is that animals trapped by such type of traps are generally killed or later die, and it may be desired, for example for medical purposes, to catch the animal uninjured.
For these and other reasons, the second type of trap mentioned is generally preferred. With use of such type traps, the captured animal is uninjured and, if desired, may be released in another location. Alternatively, a painless killing bait, such as warfarin, may be used within the trap, and the animal dies in the trap whereby it may easily be disposed of. Or the live captured animal is available for medical tests.
Variations of this second type of animal trap are disclosed by Schnickerling, Golaszewski, Hall, Butcher and Worfford (U.S. Pat. Nos. 741,935; 2,562,663; 1,063,347; 1,085,970 and 2,553,157 respectively). The last three enumerated are particularly directed to small traps which may be disposed of along with the captured animal, if desired.
However, disposable traps heretofore available have been too costly for practical use where large numbers of animals are to be trapped for instance around farms, large graineries and warehouses. Further, most of such traps employ a gravity activated trap door and, hence, the trap must be maintained in a particular orientation. If the orientation is changed by the animal as it enters or as it attempts to escape, or by other means, the trap door will not function properly and the animal may escape. Thus, considerable time and care must be taken to secure such traps in the necessary orientation.